Jury convicts teen in armed robbery case

A 16-year-old boy was found guilty of aggravated robbery on Monday in what is believed to be the first local jury trial for a defendant charged as a juvenile. State law allows what the Stark County prosecutor's office refers to as a “blended sentence.”

A 16-year-old boy was convicted of aggravated robbery Monday in what is believed to be the first local jury trial for a defendant charged as a juvenile.

Quintin Evans, of 2401 21st St. NE, was found guilty of the robbery charge as well as aggravated burglary and misdemeanor assault. The robbery and burglary counts both carry firearm specifications.

Evans and Nicholas Guerra, 19, of 2331 Winfield Way NE, tried to rob a 19-year-old woman at her Taft Avenue NE home Sept. 29, according to the Stark County prosecutor's office.

Guerra, who faces the same charges, has a case pending in Stark County Common Pleas Court. He has pleaded not guilty and awaits his trial.

Stark County Family Court Judge Jim James now must decide Evans' fate. He ordered a presentencing report for Evans, who does not have a prior juvenile record, said Michelle Cordova, an assistant Stark County prosecutor in the juvenile division.

The prosecutor's office is asking that Evans be sentenced as a serious youthful offender. The 2001 state law allows prosecutors to seek a "blended" sentence between the juvenile and adult court systems, Cordova said.

Evans' case qualifies because it involves the two first-degree felonies and the use of a gun, she said. The classification allows for a suspended prison sentence for a juvenile, Cordova said.

SERIOUS YOUTHFUL OFFENDER

Under the law, Cordova said, Evans could be sentenced to the Ohio Department of Youth Services — which oversees juvenile crime offenders — until age 21.

A suspended prison sentence in the adult system could follow the juvenile incarceration. Evans could face three to 10 years on the burglary and robbery charges and three years on each firearm specification, she said. However, under that scenario, Evans would not have to serve prison time as long as he successfully completes his juvenile sentence without getting into additional trouble, Cordova said.

Since 2002, the prosecutor's office has designated about 35 cases as serious youthful offenders; those cases involved guilty pleas — only the Evans case went to a jury trial, Cordova said.

"This is sort of the halfway point for serious offenses," she said.

MAKING THEIR CASE

In closing arguments, held in Stark County Common Pleas Court, Cordova told jurors that Evans and Guerra knocked on the victim's door. Guerra apparently was an acquaintance of the woman, Cordova said.

Both were wearing dark clothing and ski masks, she said. Evans pointed a handgun at the victim's face, she said. Money was demanded. The victim tried to close the door, but the robbers forced their way inside, Cordova said. The victim was hit in the head and suffered injuries, she added.

About three to four minutes later, Evans was found by police in the 15th Street and Edward Avenue NE area, Cordova told jurors. He was wearing a hooded sweatshirt matching the description of the one worn by one of the two robbers, she said. He also told police he was armed; the gun matched the description given by the victim, she said.

Page 2 of 2 - There was no DNA or fingerprint evidence, the prosecution acknowledged.

He pointed out that the victim told police Evans was wearing dark pants. Police found him wearing light-blue pants. Koukoutas also said that police did not recall whether Evans was sweating or out of breath when he was caught.

The jury deliberated about three hours before convicting Evans on Monday afternoon.